Improvement in shears for cutting sheet metal



J. M. BARNETT.

SHEAR'S FOR CUTTING SHEETMETAL. No.188,332, Patented Mar'ch lB, 1877 Fig.5- WITN E55E5 INVENTEIR JOHN M. BARNETT, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN SHEARS FOR CUTTING SHEET METAL.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 188,332, dated March 13, 1877; application filed November 20, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. BARNETT, of Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have, invented an Improvement in Shears, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to the following described improvement in shears, consisting of one stationary blade fastened to the end of a supporting-bar, and one movable blade and handle pivoted to a post and arranged in relation to the stationary blade substantially as shown.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, in-explaining the nature of my invention.

Figure 1' is a perspective view of my invention, showing the cutting-blades arranged at right angles to their supports. Fig.2 is a detail view, showing the stationary blade at the end of a pendant support;'and Fig. 3 shows the cutting-blades parallel to horizontal sup ports.

A is a short blade, rigidly fastened to the end of arm B, which is a bent support, projecting from the standard 0. The movable blade D is pivoted to the standard at a to swing to and from the fixed blade in the operation of cutting, and is provided With the handle E.

The object of the invention is to separate the two blades of the shears by giving each an independent support, and to make one blade fixed and short, as shown. This construction enables the work operated upon to be passed between the blades without obstruction, and allows it to be turned and presented at any angle necessary in cutting a design from a pattern.

Of course, it is not necessary to unite the fixed and movable blades by the bent arm except in the smaller kinds designed for light work, as the short blade can be permanently fastened to any arm that shall be so arranged in relation to the movable blade to leave a clear working space between the blades when open, and space sufficient for turning the work without its contacting with the supporting-arm.

The invention is especially adapted for use on leather-work and soft metals, suchas tin and sheet brass and iron.

It will be seen that the principal object of this invention is to arrange and locate the blades of the shears in relation to each other and in relation to their supports, so that nothing can interfere with the free turning and advance of the work, either in a line with the blades, or in a movement transverse to that line.

It is, therefore, necessary that the blades should have independent supports, and that one blade should be short and stationary, and that the other should be pivoted to swing to and from the short blade, and be provided with a handle.

And it is also necessary that the short stationary blade should terminate in a sharp point immediately in front of the pivot of the movable blade, and that this lower point should be the first portion of the stationary blade to act upon the material to be cut, thus enabling the operator to efi'ect a very short cut and describe the small curved and irregular lines of a pattern, reaching points not accessible to ordinary shears.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- The combination of the swinging blade D pivoted to the standard G, as shown, and provided with a handle, bent arm 8, and the short blade A rigidly fastened to the bent arm, all arranged in relation to each other substantially as described.

JOHN M. BARNETT.

Witnesses:

F. F. RAYMOND, 2d, J OHN E. WHEELER. 

